MARK RHODES FINE FURNITURE

I left school in 1989 and went straight into cabinetmaking, where I served a traditional four year apprenticeship with a company called English house (now sadly gone). This is where I was taught all the traditional hand skills of the cabinetmaker, ranging from hand cut dovetailed drawers, antique restoration, letter carving, and all facets of furniture and joinery production. Now fully qualified I decided to challenge myself further by learning a more modern approach to cabinetmaking. So I took a position with a luxury motor yacht outfitters in Holland called Ultimate Interiors, and stayed for two years. This is where I was taught all aspects of modern cabinetmaking from vacuum veneering in a bag press for curved work, to modern kitchens, and all forms of fitted furniture.

But the call of home was beckoning so I returned to England, and was offered a position with well know furniture creator John Barnard. This is where I was challenged the most, undertaking many commissions; including the then fledgling victory series of tables and chairs (helping John develop the first three tables) also making his bespoke kitchens from sketch to fitting, and many other furniture commissions. This time with John Barnard is where I relearned all the techniques I thought were set in stone, John taught me to think more outside the box and really think about the design and aesthetics’ of the piece instead of following the more traditional route. I spent four years with John Barnard.

The following seven years were spent developing my own loyal client base. After seventeen years in the business and having a loyal client base I decided to start “Mark Rhodes Fine Furniture” where I now involve myself fully in all features of contemporary and period home enhancement. I work from a converted barn in the North Norfolk town of Aldborough where I have my own workshops.